Students will be able to analyze the value of scholarly sources and demonstrate this analysis through annotation.
For each unit of the course, we will read one scholarly article related to the material. These articles have been uploaded as PDF's to a site called Crocodoc, which allows us to annotate them as a group, helping each other read them. This kind of annotation is exactly what you should be doing whenever you read - scholarly articles/books, any textbook, literature, etc. This is a good opportunity to practice taking notes while reading and learning from your classmates. These articles are intentionally not easy! Don't worry about it. The whole point is to think as carefully as you can.
Instructions
Links to all of the articles are located under "Course Documents" (the "Link to Articles") on Blackboard (the reason for this is because they are copyrighted material).
The first time you access the first article, you will need to "Sign Up" for Crocodoc (upper right-hand corner - the "Sign Up" tab). You will just need a user name (please make this recognizable as you in some way), an email, and a password. For each subsequent article, you will just need to make sure you are signed in. If, for some reason, it is reading you as "Anonymous," be sure to include your name within the comment to claim your credit.
After that, the program is fairly easy to use. Mostly, you will use the "Comment" button on the upper left-hand side.
You will be required to post at least one comment for each article PRIOR TO the class period in which the article is due.You are encouraged to post as many as you like.
Comments might include:
observations;
connections to the readings;
questions;
etc.
You are also encouraged to communicate with each other. To do so, click on a comment and then click "Reply."
How Annotations Will Be Graded
Article Annotations will be included in the course Participation grade, which is 15% of the overall course grade.
Annotations will be awarded points based upon the following scale
Fully graded annotation will be the one that would receive the most points
Points
Characteristics
10
Present, demonstrates significant attention to reading and/or consideration of classmates' comments; demonstrates obvious evidence of investment in annotation; grammatically correct
9
Present, demonstrates considered attention to reading and/or consideration of classmates' comments; demonstrates considered evidence of investment in annotation; attention to grammar
8
Present, demonstrates moderate attention to reading and/or consideration of classmates' comments; demonstrates moderate evidence of investment in annotation; few grammar errors
7
Present, demonstrates limited attention to reading and/or consideration of classmates' comments; demonstrates limited evidence of investment in annotation; grammar errors
6
Present, demonstrates little attention to reading and/or consideration of classmates' comments; demonstrates little evidence of investment in annotation; significant grammar errors
1-5
Present, but little more than name (points will vary in range depending on effort)
0
Did not complete
+1
Additional points awarded for presence of additional comments (maximum of 3 extra points awarded on one article)
For each unit of the course, we will read one scholarly article related to the material. These articles have been uploaded as PDF's to a site called Crocodoc, which allows us to annotate them as a group, helping each other read them. This kind of annotation is exactly what you should be doing whenever you read - scholarly articles/books, any textbook, literature, etc. This is a good opportunity to practice taking notes while reading and learning from your classmates. These articles are intentionally not easy! Don't worry about it. The whole point is to think as carefully as you can.
Instructions
How Annotations Will Be Graded